Milestone Decade Birthdays

Thursday, 1 August 2013

Kayla and I both had those milestone decade birthdays this year.

2 weeks ago for Kayla; today for me.

1 for Kayla. 4 for me.

4 decades. Really?!

It's going to take some getting used to answering the question, "How old are you?" with the reply, "40." Forty doesn't roll off my tongue that easily. It feels weird saying it. But then again, when you're an adult how many times do you actually get asked your age?

I feel like I should be doing something big and great to celebrate the big 4-0, but I kind of stopped celebrating birthdays years ago. Thankful for another birthday, but still just another day all the same.


But it's 4 decades!

Shouldn't I go jump out of a plane or some other big risk-taking activity? Parachuting isn't likely - I don't even like roller coasters!

What does everyone else do to celebrate 40? 

Maybe I should make a bucket list of 40 things.
Or 40 things about me.
Or 40 things I've learned.

But 40? That's a lot of things for a list; who would want to read a list that contains 40 items?

So, I'm 40 today. No great words of wisdom from me on turning 40!

I received a card yesterday that had the following quote:

"It's not the years in your life that count, it's the life in your years."

I like that. I'd like to think that the life in my years have been pretty great, fulfilling, and full of love.


  

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Double Digits

Monday, 15 July 2013

Yes, today we have reached double digits in the age of one of my children.

Kayla has reached her first decade. That magical age when you can say you're TEN! and it sounds so much older. Is this the official age of the 'tween'? Do I really have a 'tween' now?

Ten pictures from Kayla's first year ... along with hopes, dreams, and wishes.

 I don't know what the future holds, but I hope it's bright and full of adventure.

I hope you know how very much you are loved by your family and feel their presence surrounding you ... even those family members who are no longer with us.

I hope you forgive me for my faults and mistakes that I have made, and will make, as a mother. Parenting is hard and it's a constant and changing learning experience. But I wish for you to know that I'm always trying my best and how very much I love you.

I hope you know you will always be the apple in your dad's eye and realize how much he loves you and will always protect 'his baby girl.'

I dream that you will find your passion in something you love and you will pursue it with all of your heart.

I hope you grow up with a positive self-awareness and acceptance about who you are and love yourself. 

I dream that you will be an outgoing self-advocate, speaking up for yourself and others. I dream that you will be self-confident, brave, kind, happy, and caring.

I hope that along the way you will be surrounded by true friends who will help you grow, and guide you. I dream that you will find acceptance amongst your peers.

I wish for you to grow up not knowing hate, or ugliness, or prejudices, or discrimination. That is probably unlikely though. You will encounter difficult situations and people. That's part of life. But I wish for you to handle adversity with your shoulders back, head high, and a smile on your face.

My dream is that you will follow your dreams and that we can help you be successful in your endeavours. My dream is that you will be happy in life and enjoy all life has to offer. I hope you reach for the moon, because even if you miss, you will still be amongst the stars.

 Happy birthday my beautiful ten year old!

 

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And He's Five!

Saturday, 23 February 2013

Five years ago Joe, very briefly, took over my blog to announce that Lucas was born.

How can this little boy be ready to start Kindergarten in about six months? He's growing too fast!

The breakfast in bed for the birthday boy this morning:

Lucas, you're still inquisitive and curious and love to learn. You pay attention when Kayla does her school work and want to learn all the things she's learning. We were out to dinner last night, and this restaurant has 5 different types of BBQ on their tables. One of them is Carolina Sweet. I asked my mom if she wanted that one but paused after I said Carolina and you said, "Carolina Gold?"

For those not familiar with SC history, Carolina Gold is what they called rice because it was a major cash crop in the colonial times.


You get a long with just about anyone and enjoy playing with kids younger and older than you. Sometimes I think you think you're older than you are when you're playing with the 3rd and 4th graders on our street. 

You still enjoy putting puzzles together, figuring out how things work, reading and riding your bike (which you learned to do without training wheels several months ago). You are enjoying preschool and all the friends you've made there. You can count by 10s, and 5, and can tell me what are even/odd numbers. You like playing math games and drawing pictures. You are really in to chess right now too.

I hope you always keep the sweet nature you have, but a little less whining would be nice!

Happy 5th birthday Lucas!

 

 

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She Turned Nine

Tuesday, 31 July 2012

After a loved one dies you have to get through a year of all of those 'firsts' that they'll miss. The first birthday, Father's Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas etc.

Our 'first' milestone event literally happened right after he passed away (July 12). Kayla's 9th birthday was July 15 (and the funeral was the 17th). And my birthday is tomorrow and I'm already missing his phone call.

I had planned a joint-birthday party with Kayla and a friend (her birthday was July 13) for Sat, July 14th. I left for FL the previous Mon. The birthday party could've gone on - Joe was here - but I felt stressed enough as it was preparing to go back to FL for a final goodbye and didn't have all those final details worked out for the birthday party yet. So instead of worrying about that on top of everything else we decided to postpone the party until we got back and things settled down.

Joe and my mom drove to FL with Kayla and Lucas on her birthday. Kayla knew it was her birthday. She kept saying she was NINE now. It was so hard having her birthday fall in the middle of all that was going on in FL; however since she was going to be in FL I still wanted to acknowledge her birthday. I wanted to at least have some cake and sing to her, but I didn't want to make too much of a big deal or celebration... because really, who felt like celebrating at a time like that? The first big event where family was all together in FL and my dad was absent? It was hard to do because his presence was definitely missed.

My extended family were all so sweet and nice though. They went above and beyond just having cake and signing to her ... she had presents to open too. Even though we were all hurting so much inside, it was nice to have those few hours of smiles watching Kayla excited about opening some gifts.

In the end I know my dad would have told us to celebrate her birthday. He would have said it was her day and she should have cake and presents. I'm so thankful for my family in FL allowing us the chance to focus on something happy and positive that night.

Happy 9th birthday Kayla ... I promise we will reschedule your cancelled party soon!
 

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The Birthday Boy

Friday, 24 February 2012

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Dear Lucas

Thursday, 23 February 2012

You are four today. FOUR. You've been asking if today is your birthday since Christmas was over! "Now is it my birthday?"

I feel like after having kids I realize the truth in the statement that "the days are long, but the years are short." You are turning in to this amazing kid and I want to freeze time and remember you in this moment, but I know that's not possible. I want to capture, with words, what you are like and how your personality is and all the things that come out of your mouth. But I'm not an eloquent writer. But there are so many things I want to remember.

There was a day, shortly after you turned 3, I think, that I got out of the shower and you brought me an opened granola bar. I wondered where that came from and how you opened it. When I went to the kitchen I saw you had pulled a chair up to the counter and helped yourself in the cabinet. Then I noticed 3 wrappers on the counter...and the scissors. Yikes! Your problem solving-skills in figuring out how to open those wrappers! I said, "Lucas! You ate THREE granola bars?!" You quickly pointed out, "No! I had two! I gave you one."

You have such a curious spirit about you and love to learn about the world around you. I read somewhere recently that the average 4-yr old asks about 400 questions a day. Yeah, I think that sums you up. I don't think I've said, "I don't know" so often before as I do in this stage of my (your) life. Why, why, why, what, what, what. "Mom why is the moon full tonight?" My answer, "I don't know Lucas, why don't you ask it?" Lucas, in a deep voice, "Moon, why are you full? Mom he said because he wants to be." Sounds like as good of an answer as any!

I love the emerging independence you have. Some mornings you wake up earlier than I'd like and before I'm ready to crawl out from under my covers. It used to be that you'd come in my room and I'd pull you in to bed with me. Sometimes you'd fall back to sleep and other times you would be restless and keep asking, "Is it wake-up time yet?" Then you figured out it was easier to just not come in my room anymore...so instead you come downstairs and shut my door. (and I would think, how sweet, he's letting me 'sleep in' - which, I imagine, you get from your dad doing that on the weekends.)

During those mornings when you close my door you quietly entertain yourself in the living room/dining room area. You don't get in to anything you shouldn't and no more climbing on chairs to reach snacks (or scissors!). You'll get on the computer and go to Starfall, or PBSKids.com or play Reader Rabbit. Some mornings you sit at the table and color, or do puzzles (you had the table covered one morning when I came in to the kitchen).

And the things that make me laugh - me, calling upstairs 4 or 5x, "Lucas!" and being greeted with complete silence. One more time I called out, "Lucas, can you hear me?" Finally you responded, "No!"

"Mom are you going to watch Boston tonight?" I tell you "Umm...I don't think so..." and you said, "Well, think!"

And how did you come up with this one? You and Kayla were cleaning up and I heard you say, "Kayla, can you clean up cause my neck is hurting. I need a drink of water."

You can hear the mail truck coming just as if it were the ice cream truck! Your routine is to run outside and greet the 'mail lady' at our mailbox and wait for her to hand you our mail. She's told me seeing you there makes her day.

Awhile ago you started calling me 'mom' more often than 'mommy' and I have to admit it made me a little sad. I wasn't ready for that transition! You walk in to the room and say, "Hey Mom!" and you just sound so much older than your years when you do that. I wish I could keep you little, but I can't.

The other day I held you in my arms and lap, rocking you. It won't be long before I can't do that anymore. I half-pretended to be sad telling you that you weren't going to be 3 for much longer and I wasn't ready for you to be 4. You gave me a hug and said, "Don't be sad." When I asked why I couldn't be sad you said, "Because I hugged you." Well how could I be sad after that?

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The Birthday Cake

Friday, 12 August 2011

Lucas turned 3 back in Feb, we tried to have a small get-together/party for him, but things just didn't work out. So he never really had a birthday party. When I was planning Kayla's party I decided to make it a joint party. We had the party at their favorite play place: Rolly Pollies.

I made sure I told them this was their birthday party, not just Kayla's, even though her birthday was just a week before the party.

I had one cake with both their names (no, it wasn't gluten-free ... Kayla had separate cupcakes) on the cake. I put an 8 candle for Kayla and on the other side 3 single candles for Lucas. I guess I didn't stress, or explain well enough, that the cake was for both of them and they each had their own candles to blow out. Because this is what happened:

First Kayla jumped the gun and blew out her candle right before we got to the end of the song. 

Then before anyone could stop her she leaned over and blew out Lucas's candles.

I love his expressions in these photos...

I think he's still trying to figure out what just happened.

I just knew a meltdown must be in the works and I was about to tell someone to relight his candles. But Lucas didn't say a word. Not one word. He must've been stunned speechless. Or confused. Maybe he thought it really wasn't a party for him too. Because he just got up and went around the table to the chair where he had been sitting. I was amazed there were no tears.

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Mock Our Clothes and 38

Monday, 1 August 2011

Patti from A Perfect Lily put out a call for parents (or family members) to submit pictures for a slide show she created in response to GQ's insensitive remark about Down syndrome. Patti got her inspiration from Dr Brian's Skotko's Mock My Pants, Not My Sister response to GQ.

One of the fashion styles mocked by GQ was boot-cut jeans. "...where they can take breaks between body shots to admire just how long boot-cut jeans can stay in style in one place." (Really, boot-cut jeans aren't in style now? I guess I'm behind the times. They're still in the stores with every other jean style. What, are we all supposed to be wearing pencil thin, skinny, straight-leg jeans now?)

Anyway, when it's not 90+ degrees with a heat index of 110, I will be wearing my boot-cut jeans thankyouverymuch. But maybe that is ok because I live in South Carolina and not Boston.

So this is the picture I sent to Patti to use in the slide show. Mock my boot-cut jeans, but don't mock my daughter.

The kids thought it was fun to use my camera on the tripod, so here are a few other outtakes:

 

And this is probably one of the last pictures of me as a 37-yr old. Yes, today I turned 38! Not sure how I feel about that yet. Trying to embrace the whole getting older thing! Considering that this year is also my 20-yr high school reunion (when did that happen!?), I guess I can't deny the fact anymore! So, here is to 38! And being thankful to have another birthday.

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